Little Orphan Annie
by The Minsk
Summary: One-shot. Futurefic. Rachel finds a stray kitten and adopts it, but it seems to be out for Finn's blood.


DISCLAIMER: I neither own Glee nor the characters. They are the property of Ryan Murphy and FOX. This is purely for fun. Enjoy!

A/N: I know I should be working on _Lovesick _but I got this idea in my head and it won't go away. I hope you like it. I needed some fluffy Finchel cuteness today, and I've been missing my cat a lot lately. This is my first Christmas since she passed away and I'm dedicating this fic to Snowflake. I love you, kitty.

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><p><strong>Little Orphan Annie<strong>  
><strong>A Future!Finchel one-shot by The Minsk<strong>

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><p>The pavement passed her by in a blur as she ran down the hard Manhattan pavement in her modest heels. Her calves were burning and her ankles felt like they were going to cramp but she couldn't care less as she approached the five story building that housed her and Finn's apartment. The excitement rattled her bones as she hit the stairs two-at-a-time, gasping for breath but not wanting to stop. Whizzing up the three flights of stairs and almost tripping over her own feet twice, she finally approached apartment 3A and attacked the door with her keys. The apartment was dark when she entered, save for a little trickle of light that filtered out of the cracks in the bathroom door.<p>

"Finn!" Rachel screamed in the silence of their dark apartment. It was much smaller than she would have wanted it to be; the kitchen sink from upstairs leaked into their cabinets and their next door neighbors fought until the early hours of the morning, but it was _their_ apartment and she loved it despite its flaws. "Where are you, baby?" Her voice carried throughout the house and she could hear the water running in the bathroom. She approached the heavy wooden door and knocked loudly. "Come out here and be excited for me," she whined, hopping from foot to foot like a petulant child.

After a few more torturous moments, Finn emerged from the bathroom and Rachel's exuberance increased tenfold. She didn't even warn him before leaping into his arms, and he was caught off guard as he fumbled to remain balanced.

"Whoa, babe, what's up?"

"I got the part!" she screamed into his embrace as his hold on her body tightened. Looking up into his eyes, she saw nothing but the purest love shining down at her.

"Yes!" He roared, not even caring that their downstairs neighbor was elderly and took naps in the afternoon as he jumped around with her still in his arms. They did a weird sort of dance together in celebration, but Finn looked more like a flailing chicken as he bounced around waving his arms in the air. After a moment of celebration he pulled her in for a strong kiss, his lips firm and sensual against hers.

She'd never felt happier in her entire life.

"I'm so proud of you," he whispered softly, resting his forehead against hers and looking down into her eyes. She could have sworn she could see the slight sheen of tears there, even though Finn wasn't much of a crier. It made her infinitely more emotional as they continued to hold one another. "This is_ finally_ happening."

"I know!" she admitted happily. "And it's a legitimate Broadway show. Not off-Broadway or workshops or dinner theater. Rehearsals start on Monday."

"Well, you know what that means, then?" He teased, rubbing her shoulders and trailing his hands down her arms. She shook her head and he elaborated. "We need to go out and celebrate!"

"Oh, yay!" She said, clapping her hands and pulling away from his embrace. "I'll go get changed!" He laughed brightly as she practically waltzed into the bedroom, humming a happy tune as she got changed. In record time she had put together an outfit and grabbed her favorite coat before exiting the bedroom. It was the winter after all, and she couldn't afford to get sick now.

When she entered the living room, Finn was waiting for her with his arm outstretched. "May I take the lady's hand?" He joked.

"Why of course, good sir," she winked as she wrapped her hand around his elbow, and Finn held her tenderly while they descended the stairs. He kissed her greedily before they walked out onto the streets of Manhattan, and they headed west towards the subway hand in hand when Rachel heard a sudden sound that made her pause.

_mew_

"Finn, what was that?" She said, stopping on the street and moving her head around so she could pick up the faint sound. She heard it once more and started to walk towards the dumpster where the building disposed of their garbage. It was dark and smelly, but the noise became louder as she approached the grimy corner.

_mew_

"Rachel, where are you going? I don't hear anything." She ignored him and kept looking for the source of the sound. Another soft cry could be heard, and when she peeked her head behind the dumpster, she found a hidden treasure just waiting to be discovered.

It was a small, baby kitten, curled up in the far corner of the wall, whose orange fur was matted with dirt and grime. It looked up at Rachel with the biggest blue eyes she had ever seen on an animal and let out another soft mewl as Rachel's heart melted in her chest.

"Aww, it's okay precious, don't be afraid," she cooed to the young cat and it meowed once more. It was probably starving and the weather was definitely below freezing out. She couldn't just leave the animal here, it would surely die. She turned around and Finn was still staring at her with patient eyes.

"What is it, Rach?" He asked, poking his head around the corner and spotting the little ball of fur. "Oh, the poor thing."

"Help me reach it, Finn," she commanded, trying to push the dumpster enough so she could reach the tiny animal. "We can't just leave it here."

"But Rach," he whined. "I thought we were going to dinner?"

"I know, Finn, but we can't just leave a starving, helpless animal here to die. Plus it's so cute!"

"But my allergies," he said, shifting the dumpster over enough so she could reach the cat. It shrunk away from her touch but she was able to grab hold of it, and it started to nibble on her fingers and dig it's tiny claws into her skin. For such a small little critter it's nails were very sharp.

"It's just for one night, Finn. We can bring it to an animal shelter tomorrow." Just the thought of sending this little creature away broke her heart, but she had to do what was best for the animal. "No scratching, little one," she said, scolding the kitten as it's eyes grew wide. "We won't hurt you."

"It _is_ pretty cute," Finn conceded, reaching over to pet it. The cat immediately hissed and swiped at Finn, it's claws leaving four long red slashes on his hand. Cursing liberally, he frowned at his hand and glared daggers at the cat as Rachel giggled and brought it upstairs. It sure had a fiery personality, that was for sure. She couldn't help but scratch it's little ears and hold it close as the couple brought it back to the apartment.

"Why don't you order us some Thai, Finn, while I take care of this little one." He nodded and she brought the cat into the bathroom, running some warm water in the sink and dipping a washcloth in it. Tenderly holding the kitten, she started to drag the wet washcloth over it's fur, removing the grease and grime without scaring the cat with too much water. The cat continued to meow softly as she finished her task, noticing that it was a girl as she cleaned her. Once the grease was removed, her fur was an even brighter orange than expected as Rachel wrapped her in a towel and brought her into the living room.

Finn paid the delivery man while Rachel set up a saucer filled with milk for the kitten. It lapped away at the offering greedily while Rachel and Finn ate their celebratory dinner with the new addition to the apartment.

"So you'll bring it to a shelter tomorrow?" Finn asked, happily munching away on a spring roll.

"Well, I was thinking about bringing it to a vet first. We have to get it's shots and figure out what it's supposed to eat. . . " Finn looked up at her with a stern look.

"Wait, I thought we were getting rid of it?" She started to turn her lip out in a pout and Finn shook his head furiously. "No. Rachel, _no. _We can't keep this cat."

"But she's an orphan, Finn! She's all alone in the world and has no one." She looked at the little ball of fur in her arms and sighed. "We can call her _Annie,_ because her fur is orange and she's an orphan."

"She?" He questioned and she nodded. "It seems like you put a lot of thought into this," he said dryly.

"There's nothing in the lease that says no pets are allowed and I am more than capable enough of feeding it and training her to use a litter box."

"But Rachel," he whined, "what about me? Cats make me sneeze and break out in hives, and I don't think that one particularly likes me." Rachel looked down at the kitten and she was shocked to see it staring up at Finn with her big blue eyes.

"Don't be ridiculous, Finn. Annie loves you. See? She's enthralled by you." He shook his head and definitely wasn't convinced.

"I refuse to touch cat poop, Rachel. That's a huge deal breaker for me," he warned.

"I will clean it up every single time, Finn. I promise." She clasped her hands together and begged him with her eyes to agree. Her voice was sugary sweet when she spoke again. "Can we please keep her, Finn?" He was quiet and for a moment she was sure he would say no. "_Please," _she begged once more, resting a hand on his and letting her bottom lip quiver for effect. She could practically see his resolve cave in as he finally conceded to her request.

"Fine, you can keep the cat," he said as she squealed in delight. A Broadway role and a new kitten all in one day? It was like all of her schoolgirl fantasies coming true at once! "But if we have any problems with it, or my allergies, then we're bringing it to a shelter. Do you understand?"

"Thank you, Finn!" She screamed, leaping into his arms and almost spilling their Thai food everywhere as the cat yelped in surprise. Wrapping her body around his, she started to kiss every inch of skin she could reach. He laughed under her assault and she reached over to pick up the little kitten and hold her in her arms. Sitting on the couch in her New York City apartment, she had her man, her cat and her entire future laid out ahead of her.

It was all she had ever wanted and more.

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><p>That cat was <em>definitely <em>out to get him.

He didn't know what he ever did to deserve being tortured by a cat, but he was surely serving some kind of punishment at the hands of Rachel's feline. She had been living with them for three months and already the cat had pissed on almost every single one of Finn's belongings and scratched him up viciously whenever Finn got close to it. Of course Rachel had cleaned up after it and even got it's nails clipped, but Finn never truly warmed up to the animal that had stolen his girlfriend's heart. No matter how many times he screamed and threatened to bring it to a shelter he always conceded to her begging and pleading and kept it around.

He was stuck with this cat forever.

Finn wasn't even sure that he was capable of hating an animal, but his feelings for Annie sure came dangerously close. It was definitely one of the cutest cats that he had ever seen, but it had a temper towards Finn that not even Rachel fully understood. She was perfectly well behaved when Rachel was around, but whenever the cat was alone with Finn it was pure torture. Annie would go out of her way to brush up against him and trigger an allergy attack, or suddenly decide to pee all over his favorite shoes. One time he'd left the apartment to pick up some groceries and when he came back the couch cushions were all tattered and ripped up. Guess who Rachel had blamed for that?

"You weren't looking after Annie, Finn," was her response whenever the cat did something bad that Finn was blamed for. "She needs attention or else she acts out."

"Rachel, she isn't a special needs kid, she's a cat. A cat that likes to make my life a living hell." He sneezed violently and noticed all the orange fur that covered the upholstery. He could practically see it flying around in the air, all the hair and dander. Sighing deeply, he could feel his nose stuffing up as his throat became scratchy as he opened a window to air out the room.

"You've never really given her a chance, Finn. All you do is yell and curse at her. I've never even seen you hold her." She pet the orange cat in her arms and it purred loudly. Rachel giggled and Finn glared at the stupid animal.

"That's because every time I go near her she attacks me!" He said, getting frustrated. "That thing wants me dead."

"You're being ridiculous," she said, petting Annie's belly as the cat continued to purr. "Annie is my good kitty, she would never hurt a fly."

"Tell that to the scars on my hands." he said bitterly as her cell phone began to ring in the bedroom.

"Here, take her while I get this." She passed the cat over to Finn and he took Annie in his arms. She wasn't attacking him yet, so he reached out and tentatively stroked her belly. The cat purred softly, and for a moment he didn't think that she was half bad.

Until she reached over and bit the fuck out of his hand, her fangs breaking skin as he winced from the pain. He let go of her and she hissed at him, running off as he cursed loudly. An orange fur-ball whizzed past Rachel as she emerged from the bedroom. The broken look on her face made him pause as he rubbed his battered hand.

"What's the matter, baby?" He asked, getting nervous at the anxious look in her eyes.

"My show is closing. We do our final performance in two weeks." He crossed the span of the living room in a heartbeat and ignored the pain in his hand so he could comfort her as he pulled her in for a hug.

"Oh Rachel, I'm so sorry. You had a good run, and this is a great start. . ." she interrupted him with a shake of her head and a small kiss on the cheek.

"That's not the only news I got, Finn. They're closing the show so they can take it on a national tour." Her words echoed in his head as his heart sunk all the way into his gut. "They want me to reprise my role on the tour. If I take it then I'll be gone for six months."

"Six months?" He echoed, his heart dropping in his chest. "Well, what are you going to do?"

"I don't have to go, Finn. I can say no to them if you don't want me to go," he silenced her worried tone with a firm and supportive kiss.

"Don't be ridiculous, this is your dream," he said, cupping her face in his hands. "You have to go and do this, Rachel. This can be your chance to really get your name out there."

"But I'll be away from you," she said, her eyes glistening with tears, "And Annie," she added. He felt a surge of panic when he thought about being alone with the cat but that was the least of his problems at the moment.

"I'll be fine, Rachel. I'll have work to keep me distracted," he paused, gulping before choking out the words. "And Annie will keep me company." He forced a smile for her benefit even though he felt like his heart was being ripped in half. They had moved out to New York together so they wouldn't have to be alone and now she was leaving him for six whole months. He had to be the strong one, though. He knew how sensitive Rachel could be, especially when it came to their relationship. "Plus Kurt and Blaine will be around. I won't be alone. I'm more worried about you." He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "I don't like the idea of you being out on the road without me there to protect you."

"I'll be with the entire company, Finn. I won't be alone for a second." She clutched his t-shirt in her fists and held onto him tightly. "I'll call you every day." He pulled her in for a hug and memorized the way her body fit into his.

"Remember what we said before we graduated, Rachel? We're _tethered _together_. _You could be on a tour of Antarctica and I would still feel you here with me." He smiled for her benefit. "Plus, my star will always be hanging above you in the sky, watching over you when I can't be there."

"I love you, Finn," she cried into her chest. "I want to do this so badly but I don't want to be without you or Annie."

"I love you too, baby. We'll be fine. Annie and I are going to take care of each other." He groaned inwardly as he thought about the torture he would have to endure as the cat's caretaker. "I want you to do this. Don't let me or Annie hold you back. It wouldn't be right."

"Thank you, Finn," she whispered as the tears fell down her cheeks. "You don't know how much this means to me."

"Yes, I do, Rachel," he said, kissing her brow and swaying with his lover in their apartment. "Your dreams are my dreams, too."

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><p>The weeks leading up to Rachel's departure were shaky at best. She had to teach Finn how to change Annie's litter, and what food she needed to be fed at what times. She even made a color-coded chart, complete with kitty stickers in order for him to understand her staunch rules in regards to the cat. He wasn't happy that he was on litter duty for the next half a year, but he conceded after buying that expensive litter box that cleaned itself. All he had to do was empty the thing and change it every few weeks.<p>

The night before she had to leave was stressful, yet bittersweet.

"I'll be gone by the time you wake up, so make sure she gets her first feeding by 9am. She gets dry food for breakfast but a mix of wet and dry for lunch. Don't feed her too much or else she might puke. She has a sensitive tummy."

"Rachel, you wrote this all on the chart already. I memorized it last week." She ignored him as she checked her luggage for the umpteenth time, making sure she had everything packed and ready to go.

"There will be a matinée and an evening performance every day, so be aware of the time zone I'm in so you don't call me at a bad time."

"You made a chart for that one too, remember?" He joked with a smile as Annie brushed up against her leg. She picked up the cat and kissed her on the muzzle as it purred in her arms. She was going to miss her little ball of fluff.

"Annie has a vet appointment two Thursdays from now, it's on the calendar, and if you can't get her into the cat carrier I like to bribe her with a piece of turkey that I place far into the back."

"Rachel, relax," he walked up to her and pat the feline on it's head. She was much bigger than a kitten these days but in Rachel's mind she would always be that tiny kitty she found behind a dumpster. She placed the cat down on the bed and allowed Finn to pull her into his arms. She felt so warm and safe there that she never wanted to leave. If only she could bring Finn and Annie with her on the tour, but she knew deep down that it was impossible. Annie was a house-cat in every sense of the word; she hated leaving the apartment even for a moment and Finn had to work so they would have a place to live when she returned from the tour. At least Rachel had skype and video chatting on her phone, so she wouldn't have to go too long without seeing them.

"I'm going to miss you so much," she said, burying herself in his arms.

"Me too, Rachel. But think of this as an investment for our future. When you get home, you're going to have so many more opportunities and it will all have been worth it."

"I hope so," she whispered. Before she could fall into doubtful thoughts Finn placed his lips on hers in a blazing kiss that almost made her forget why she was sad in the first place. His hands started to drag lower on her body until they rested right above her hips, squeezing once and making a pleasant heat coil in her abdomen. She was aching for him to touch her as she deepened the kiss. "Make love to me, Finn," she moaned against his mouth. "Once more before I have to leave," she couldn't hide the longing in her voice as his hands started to pull off her clothes.

He tenderly laid her down on the bed, hovering above her as he stripped naked. Dipping his head down, he placed kisses all over her sensitive skin, building her anticipation as her head grew cloudy with lust. Before he could touch her however, a loud mewl could be heard as Annie hopped on the bed and started to brush up against her naked skin. Her tail flicked Finn in the nose and he shot up off the bed like he had been burned.

"Dammit!" He cursed as Annie climbed up on Rachel's naked chest and sat there like it was a couch cushion. Rachel started to laugh and pet the animal while Finn cursed and ran to the bathroom. "I hate that fucking cat!" He roared as he went to blow his stuffed nose. She sat up and held Annie close to her, offended at Finn's liberal use of curse words in her beloved cat's direction.

"Finn! How dare you say that about Annie!"

"First she bites and scratches me, then she triggers my allergies, now she's trying to cock-block me! I can't win!" He slammed the door to the bathroom as Rachel winced and pulled the blankets around her naked body, still holding Annie close to her. She picked the cat up until Annie was at eye level with her and stared into her bright blue eyes.

"You listen to me, Little Orphan Annie," she scolded the animal by her full nickname. "I know you love me, and I know you're going to miss me, but when I'm gone all you're going to have is Finn and you have to be good to him."

"_Mew_," was the animal's response.

"I'm serious. He's going to be all alone without me and I need you to take care of him, just like he's going to take care of you." The cat blinked at her and she sighed. "Now go into the living room and leave us alone for the night."

"_Mew_," Annie cried again and Rachel placed her on the floor. She slowly trotted out of the room just as Finn returned with a stuffy nose and watery eyes. Closing the door, he locked Annie out of their bedroom before joining Rachel on the bed. He pulled her close to him as the lovers laid naked for their final night together.

"I'm sorry about that," Rachel said to Finn as they nuzzled one another. "I spoke to Annie about her behavior and she won't give you a hard time when I'm away."

He sighed deeply and rolled his eyes. "It's not that simple, Rachel. She's a cat, not a person."

Shaking her head, she smiled at her lover and started to drag her nails down his chest. "She's a lot smarter than you think, Finn. She listens to me. Hopefully she will learn to listen to you, too."

"Well, until then, can I enjoy my final night with you now? We're kind of running on a schedule here."

She laughed as they shut off the light and curled around one another tenderly. "I'm all yours."

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><p>Rachel had been gone for three days and already he felt like strangling the cat.<p>

Would Rachel really miss it that much if he got rid of it while she was on tour? Who was he kidding, she would probably never talk to him again. She had texted him about four times already about Annie and they were all worried and frantic. Did she have enough water in the bowl? Was there enough dry food left over in the box for tomorrow? Did Finn know whether or not she preferred chicken to tuna? (The answer was tuna.)

It was driving him crazy. He missed Rachel like hell and the only distraction from his melancholia was a vicious cat that despised him. The apartment seemed so empty without Rachel and being in bed without her was just plain depressing. He preferred to sleep on the couch so he didn't have to be reminded of what was missing. Life was just plain dull without Rachel and he couldn't stand it. It was monotonous in a way that depressed him as the days stretched into weeks.

On the day of Annie's vet appointment, Finn thought he and the cat were going to have to duke it out to the death. She refused to get into the cat carrier no matter how much turkey Finn tried to bribe her with, and his hands were crisscrossed with bright red welts and scratches that stung like hell from her bloodthirsty attacks. Finally he grabbed the hissing cat and physically shoved her into the carrier while she meowed and yelped in protest. His hands were bleeding freely when he carried her into the office and the other pet owners glared at him and his feral cat like he was crazy.

"Well, Mr. Hudson, this cat needs to get a shot today," the vet told him when his name was called. "Most owners stay with their animals during the shot so they don't get anxious. Have a seat." Finn was wary as he sat down, and seconds later Annie came rushing out of the cat carrier as soon as the vet opened the door.

"Annie, no!" Finn yelled after her as she ran under the heavy equipment in the room. The aides started to try and chase her, but Finn knew better than to spook her. He crouched low on his knees and ducked his head to the floor, lowering his voice and whispering. "Come here, baby. Listen to Finn and come to me. It will be okay." He cooed to the cat as the vet watched and he could almost feel how anxious she was as she ducked in the corner of the room. He reached a hand out for her and she started to approach him.

Slowly, carefully, he took the cat into his arms and noticed how she was shaking in fear. The vet came and pricked her on the side with a needle and the tremors stopped.

"What did you do to her?" He yelled at the vet, holding the cat close and trying not to breathe in any dander. This was Rachel's cat! No one was going to hurt her!

"Giving her a tranquilizer so she can't run away again. She'll be fine in a few hours." Finn glared daggers at the vet as he continued to do his job and Finn refused to let go of Annie, who was lying boneless in his arms. He hated seeing her drugged out like this, and her bright blue eyes were glazed over from the tranquilizer. He started stroking her fur softly, and even nuzzled the top of her head, remembering not to breathe as the vet administered the required shot. The cat mewled in his arms and he thought about Rachel, and how she should be here with Annie at a time like this.

After the vet was done with the shot, Finn refused to let the cat go as the doctor trimmed down her nails. Annie started to purr in Finn's arms as he placed her gently in the cat carrier when her stressful ordeal was finished. She was still dazed and drugged, and when he brought her back to the apartment he set up a special saucer full of milk and fluffed up her favorite couch cushion, placing her softly down on it. She looked up at him with sad, tired, blue eyes and Finn felt terrible for the poor animal. He only hoped that she would be feeling better soon, he wasn't used to this lack of energy and kind of missed Annie's craziness.

Leaving her alone on the couch, Finn hopped into the shower and got ready to go out to dinner with Kurt and Blaine. When he finished getting ready, Annie was still sitting on the same blanket, but she seemed much more lucid, and mewled when Finn walked into the living room.

"Hey, kitty, feeling better?" he said, humoring himself as he talked to an animal that couldn't answer back. The cat meowed softly and hopped off the couch cushion, following Finn into the kitchen and rubbing against his legs.

He stopped what he was doing and stared down at the cat in shock. She never brushed up against him, unless it was his face so she could trigger a spiteful allergic reaction. Whenever she did that to Rachel it meant that she wanted to be held, so Finn tentatively reached down and picked her up in his arms. Normally he would be greeted with a swipe to the face or a bite on the hand, but Annie allowed him to pick her up and cradle her close to his chest. He stared down at the cat in awe as it mewled again.

"Someone's affectionate tonight," he said as his phone began to ring. It was Rachel, and he balanced the cat in one arm while he answered the call with another. "Hey baby, what's up?" It was like Annie knew that Rachel was on the phone because she started to meow loudly, right into Finn's ear.

"I got a standing ovation tonight, Finn!" her voice was clear and bright as he smiled in response. "It was one of the most thrilling moments of my entire life! The clapping was so loud the walls were shaking!"

"I knew it, Rachel. You're killing them out there." Annie started to meow even louder and he heard Rachel laughing on the other end.

"Is that my Little Orphan Annie?" she asked. "How was the vet appointment today?"

"It wasn't that great, Rach. The vet gave Annie a tranquilizer after she freaked out in the office. She was all drugged out and I didn't like it. She's better though. I took good care of her." He reached out a hand to pet her and she playfully swatted his hand without extending her nails. "I think she's starting to like me," he said as he plopped down on the couch with Annie still in his arms.

"Wonderful, Finn! I knew that you two would start bonding eventually!"

"Yeah, it's still going slow, but we've made some progress, I guess." Annie curled into a ball in Finn's lap and closed her eyes, purring deeply. His heart clenched in his chest as he gazed down at the little ball of fur and thought about Rachel, and how much she loved this little animal. "She's actually not that bad."

"Excellent. I have to start getting ready for the evening performance, but I'll call you later tonight. Take good care of my kitty!"

He smiled at her scolding tone. "Don't worry, Rachel. I will." He rubbed her head and the cat continued to purr loudly in his lap. "I love you."

"I love you too, Finn. Bye." He hung up the call and stared at the sleeping cat on his lap, petting her soft fur and trying not to breathe in too deeply. He started to sit up and dislodged Annie from his lap, placing her tenderly down on the couch as he finished getting ready for dinner. For the first time ever he felt bad for leaving her alone, especially after the stressful day she'd experienced. Finn pulled out his cell phone and called his brother, explaining to him that he couldn't meet them for dinner because of the cat as she brushed up against his legs.

"I thought you hated '_that little fur-ball from hell,' _as you once so eloquently stated." Kurt said dryly.

"Things change," he said with a shrug. "Annie needs me tonight."

"Whatever," he responded, sounding bored. "Have fun with your feline." Kurt hung up the call and Finn made sure that Annie had enough food and water in her dishes before plopping on the couch with a sigh. Annie hopped on the couch as soon as he sat down and curled herself into a little ball in his lap. Purring loudly, the sound lulled him to sleep as he passed out on the couch with Annie sleeping on his chest.

They slept like that every night from that moment on.

* * *

><p>She was practically shaking when her flight arrived at LaGuardia airport after six months of being away. She had been gone for so long, and she just couldn't wait to see Finn and Annie and sleep in her own bed. Her hands were shaking when the plane hit the tarmac and she ran through the baggage claim like she was on speed.<p>

Her phone rang, and she looked at the flashing picture on her cell phone before picking up the call. It was a picture of Finn holding Annie with a huge smile, and Finn had even dressed her up in one of the many cat sweaters that Rachel had sent home throughout her travels. This one was pink and purple and really brought out the blue in Annie's eyes. He had sent her the picture about a month ago and Rachel couldn't believe how big Annie was now. She was no longer the little tiny kitten she had once found wedged behind a dumpster.

She picked up the call with a laugh. "Finn, I'm here! Where are you?"

"Out by the taxis, hurry up! I have a surprise for you!" She clutched her cell phone with one hand and dragged her luggage outside with the other. When the cool wind whipped her in the face she immediately found herself in the tight embrace of her lover, who was squeezing the air clear out of her lungs.

"Finn, I can't breathe!" She gasped as he let go of her long enough for her to take a deep breath. She maneuvered herself around so she could hold him properly and she squeezed him as tightly as she could. Inhaling deeply, she reveled in the scent of him as she leaned in for a deep kiss full of longing. Now that they were reunited, she felt like she was whole again. Like the missing piece of her had been found.

"How's my shining star?" he asked, rubbing her shoulders as he gazed down lovingly into her eyes.

"It was amazing, Finn. Every second of it was magical and I wish you could have been there with me."

"I was there, Rachel," he said, pointing up at the sky. "My star, remember? I was looking down at you the whole time." He winked at her and she squeezed him even harder. She was finally home and in Finn's arms where she belonged.

"So, where's my surprise?" She said, her voice teasing after breaking apart from their hug.

"Right here," he backed up from her and opened the door of the cab he arrived in, pulling out a very familiar cat carrier. "Annie couldn't wait any longer for you to come home!" He said with enthusiasm. "She didn't even put up a fight to get in the carrier, that's how much she missed you!" She squealed as she took it from him and peeked inside. Sure enough, the bright orange fur was visible under a fluffy white sweater she had sent them from Colorado. The cat meowed as Finn placed her luggage in the cab.

"This is perfect, Finn. Thank you." He helped her climb into the cab and slid in next to her as they made their way back to Manhattan. As they crossed over the bridge, Rachel looked out onto the East River and smiled at the picturesque view of skyscrapers in front of her. She had enjoyed traveling around the country, but now she was finally back in New York, and she couldn't wait to start auditioning again and live in the city with Finn.

She plopped down onto her favorite spot on the couch as soon as she entered the apartment, not even caring about unpacking her luggage. When she opened up the cat cage Annie quickly burst out of it and hopped right into Rachel's lap, brushing against her and purring as Rachel hugged the fluffy orange ball of fur. "Oh my Little Orphan Annie, it's so good to be home."

"I don't think we should call her that anymore," Finn said softly, sitting next to her on the couch and petting her fur. She looked up at him, almost wounded by his words, and frowned.

"Why not? It's my nickname for her!"

"Well, she isn't really an orphan anymore," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "You're like her mom, and I'm like her dad. We're kind of like, a f_amily."_ He avoided eye contact with her in embarrassment and she could see a light blush on his cheeks. "I know I wasn't a fan of hers in the beginning, but we got really close. She's _our _cat now. She's no orphan."

"Finn," she said, getting choked up at the tender way he gazed at the cat. He was going to make a great father one day. "I never knew you felt that way about her."

He shrugged his shoulders and held her close. "I didn't think it was even possible, but I do. I love this cat." He leaned over and placed a deep kiss on her lips. "But not as much as I love you. I'm so glad you're home."

"Me too, Finn," she held her boyfriend with one arm and her cat in the other as she sat in the serenity of her apartment surrounded by love at all sides. "I'm back with my little family where I belong."

**The End**

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><p>Merci mille fois, mes amis!<p>

Don't stop reviewin'!


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